Do You Hear The Children Sing?
by ramblingrevolutionaries
Summary: Sound of Music AU. Eponine leaves the life she has created for herself at the convent to assist a man called Monsieur Enjolras run an orphanage in the heart of Paris until he finds a wife.
1. How Do You Solve A Problem Like Eponine?

**Chapter 1: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Eponine?**

 _An Abbey in the Outskirts of Paris, 1940_

"Honestly, Reverend Mother, it's getting out of hand!" Sister Marie complained to the Reverend Mother in the courtyard. Sister Eponine had been late to mass, again. 'Late' meaning she completely missed it.

"Sister Marie, I think I may have a solution for this little… _problem_." Reverend Mother Fantine replied, "I do not think that Sister Eponine is meant for our little abbey." The abbey was not far from Paris, but it was close to the countryside, Fantine held the abbey very close to her heart.

* * *

Eponine made her way to the Reverend Mother's office, she guessed what was coming: she was going to be punished for missing mass that morning. As she walked, she held both her hands in front of her and prayed. To Eponine, life at the abbey was tough, but anywhere was better than the streets. She thanked God for leading her to the abbey and Mother Fantine during her hour of need. She had always found the church a source of comfort and security and valued her position as a nun in the abbey. It was only the execution of her 'nun responsibilities,' as she liked to call them, which made her feel slightly inadequate in the convent. After praying extensively whilst making her way to the Mother Superior's office, she hadn't realised that she had already reached her destination. Eponine hesitantly reached up to knock on the door.

"Come in," Fantine's voice called from inside. Eponine cautiously opened the door and stepped into the office.

"Hello, Mother," Eponine spoke, looking down at her feet, "I know you want to speak to me, but if I could just explain? The sky was so blue today and -"

"Eponine," Mother Fantine began, "what do you think is the most important thing you have learnt over your year here with us in the abbey since taking your vows?"

"That I must find out God's will and do it wholeheartedly." The younger girl replied immediately.

"It seems that it is God's will that you leave us." The Reverend Mother stated quickly, trying to soften the blow slightly.

"Leave? Mother, please don't send me away! This is my home! This is my life!" Eponine protested as politely as possible.

"Are you truly ready for it?"

"Yes! I am!"

"If you go out into the world for some time knowing what we expect of you," Fantine began to get into what she was asking of Eponine, "you will find out if you expect it of yourself."

"I can! I can do it, Mother! If it is God's will."

"There is an orphanage, in the very centre of Paris, that is in dire need of maternal influence – a governess of sorts – until September or until the owner finds himself a wife." It was March.

"September?" Eponine exclaimed in disbelief. "An orphanage?"

"Yes," the Mother Superior answered, "of about 9 children, do you like children?"

"Oh, yes but nine?" Eponine responded with another question.

"I will tell Monsieur Enjolras to expect you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Eponine asked apprehensively.

"Yes, tomorrow, you can catch the train early tomorrow morning." Fantine told her.

"Okay, thank you, Reverend Mother," Eponine said, before starting to turn and leave.

"Eponine," Mother Fantine called her, causing the younger girl to turn back around, "do come and bid me goodbye tomorrow, won't you?" Eponine's heart began to swell.

* * *

Eponine left the convent the next morning with mixed emotions. It had been a year since she had even seen a train, never mind caught one. She was excited about what awaited her at the orphanage but she was fearful of being so far away from the abbey, considering her life before being a nun was one of sin and danger. She had decided that she would miss the Reverend Mother and some of the kinder nuns, most of them found her odd, but she was sure that she would make some friends at the orphanage.

After an hour-long train journey, Eponine was wandering around the very heart of Paris, looking for the orphanage in her clothes that even the poor didn't want (her hat was definitely a fashion disaster.) The Mother Superior had told the younger woman that the orphanage was a remodelled café, with the same sign on the outside as when it thrived. The Café Musain, as that's what it had been called, was on the edge of a square, two alleyways either side of it. Eponine walked towards the old café with a smile on her face – she couldn't help but grin looking at the old café sign, the paint was peeling and she could see where it had been repainted multiple times, however when Eponine's eyes travelled to the large window beneath it, she saw that it was clean, and inside the old café, there were nine children sat writing whilst a man stood at the edge of the room, watching them.

Eponine reached the door of the orphanage and pushed it open apprehensively. She was generally quite good with new people, but she found her anxieties growing whilst wanting to make friends with the children, but also the man in charge of them. As she stepped through the doorway, she smiled at the children as they turned to face the door to see who had come in.

"Hello," Eponine spoke, trying to come across as confident as possible, "I'm from the convent. You have been expecting me?" She looked towards the man in the corner of the room. He looked at her; he seemed to be investigating her face, her clothes – just her, in general. This man, she assumed, was Monsieur Enjolras.

"Yes, mademoiselle…?" He spoke with a formal accent, pausing to find out her name.

"Eponine," She held out her hand for him to shake, he took it and shook it promptly.

"This facility is run on discipline, without which the house cannot be run," Monsieur Enjolras began, holding his hands behind his back in a military fashion, "drill them in their studies, I will not have them dreaming away their summer holidays. Each afternoon they march, bedtime is to be strictly observed -"

"Excuse me, but when do they play?" Eponine interrupted the man who acted as though he was made from marble.

"You will see to it that they will conduct themselves with the utmost decorum." He stated, refusing to delve any further in the matter. "Now…" He turned to the children, "in line, please and introduce yourselves," The children formed an orderly line in which Eponine could only assume was age order.

"I'm Grantaire," the eldest of the children spoke, a lanky boy with a mug of coffee in hand, "I'm sixteen and I don't need a caretaker."

"Noted," Eponine replied, smiling at the teenager, "we'll just be friends then."

"I'm Combeferre, I'm fifteen and I like to read." The boy introduced himself, politely, holding his hand out for Eponine to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you." Eponine replied politely.

"I'm Courfeyrac, I'm fourteen," the next boy introduced himself, with wild brown curls spilling from his head, "I'm impossible!"

"Who told you that?" Eponine asked; it was a curious thing for a boy to say about himself.

"Monsieur Enjolras!" He exclaimed, laughing a bit, "it was just after he had met me though."

"I'm Joly!" The boy next to Courfeyrac chimed. Eponine was about to ask how old he was before Monsieur Enjolras spoke before she had the chance to.

"Bahorel, introduce yourself properly please." The man reprimanded the boy. Eponine turned her attention back to Bahorel, who was covered in bruises and cuts.

" _I'm_ Joly, _he's_ Bahorel, he's thirteen. I'm ten and I think that your hat is the ugliest thing I've ever seen," a small girl spoke up from further down the line.

"Or get Joly to do it for you," Monsieur Enjolras muttered beneath his breath, causing Eponine to grin slightly as she removed the (admittedly) ugly hat from her head.

"Joly! You shouldn't say that!" The older boy spoke up, reprimanding the younger girl.

"Why not? It's true," Joly protested, crossing her arms.

"Yes, but you still shouldn't say it." The boy with a plait turned to Eponine, "I'm Jehan, I'm eleven and I'm incorrigible."

"Congratulations," Eponine responded.

"What does incorrigible mean?" Jehan asked, looking up at Eponine.

"It means that you will never change." Eponine informed him, smiling.

"I'm Feuilly and I'm going to be seven on Tuesday and I'd like a pink parasol." Feuilly, a little girl, told Eponine, having taken a couple of steps towards Eponine.

"Is pink your favourite colour?" Eponine asked the little girl, who nodded, "Pink's my favourite colour too."

"I'm Lesgle, and I'm six too, my birthday was a couple of months ago!" A small boy piped up next to Feuilly.

"Happy birthday for then," Eponine smiled to the young boy before turning to the youngest.

"I'm Gavroche, and I'm five years old," The youngest boy on the end said, smiling up at Eponine.

"My, you're practically a gentleman!" The woman smiled at the littlest boy.

"Allow me to show you to your room," Grantaire spoke up after listening to the other children introduce themselves.

"Why, how kind of you, Grantaire," Eponine smiled at the teenager and followed him up the stairs of the old café. As she made her way up the steps, she tried to make conversation with him.

"You know, I was terribly nervous when I was on my way here, it's been a while since I've been in the city," Eponine explained to him.

"Well, you've got nothing to worry about," the teenager lied, slipping the frog that Bahorel had been playing with before she arrived into her hat, "here you are!"

"Ah, thank you Grant-ah!" Eponine began to thank the boy as she put her hat (containing the frog) back on her head.

"Well, I suppose I shall see you at lunch, Mademoiselle Eponine?" He asked, before making his way towards the steps.

"Yes, I suppose you shall, Grantaire." Eponine replied, holding the small frog in her hands.


	2. My Favourite Things

**Chapter 2: My Favourite Things**

After her encounter with the frog, which Eponine had decided to name him 'François' before setting him free, she began to unpack the few things that she had brought with her and investigate around the old café. She tiptoed down the stairs, careful not to cause a scene and interrupt Monsieur Enjolras' teaching of the children. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw no children but she did see the very man she had tried to avoid. She timidly stepped out from behind the stairwell and into the room.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Eponine," Monsieur Enjolras said, breaking the silence of the room and without turning around. Eponine was momentarily confused – how had he known it was her? She then realised that she had been the only person upstairs and the children weren't present.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Enjolras. Where are the children?" She asked as he turned around. It was at this moment she realised she hadn't truly taken in his external appearance. Naturally, she had noticed his blonde hair and tall stature but it was then for the first time she truly took him in. His blonde hair fell in ringlets that she could see he had tried to tame and slick back, but perhaps due to his work with the children, a few strands had fallen out of the style to frame his face and decorate his forehead. As her eyes travelled down his face, she noticed his blue eyes were like winter puddles; they were a light blue, a colour not dissimilar to that of which an infant would wear. The rest of his facial features were strong, much like his opinions as Eponine had noticed earlier and would continue to notice, his nose was sharp and his mouth pressed into a straight line.

"They are on a walk." He stated, internally noting that she had been analysing his facial features. He looked at her in return, he saw that her brown hair was cut so it fell just above her shoulders and there were a few tresses that continually fell into her eyes. He saw her mahogany eyes as they continued to investigate her surroundings and he saw her small nose and gentle lips grace the lower half of her face, giving her a caring, maternal look.

"Ah," the woman responded, taking a brave step closer to the man. "I forgot to ask Grantaire earlier, when is lunch?" She had been so caught up in trying to make a good impression on the children that it had completely slipped her mind.

"Lunch is after the children finish their walk, they should be back soon. Mademoiselle Musichetta informed me a couple of minutes ago that the soup would be ready in a couple of minutes." Monsieur Enjolras informed her.

"Mademoiselle Musichetta?" Eponine asked.

"Our housekeeper, she also tends to double as the chef. I should pay her more." The man replied, a half smile making its way up his face. He had always liked Musichetta; she had applied to help at the orphanage about the same time a five-year-old Joly appeared on the doorstep of the abandoned café. In the five years she had worked there, Monsieur Enjolras had spoken to Musichetta regularly after dinner, whilst helping her by washing up the children's dishes; he discovered the girl's love for ballet. In fact, he had bought her tickets to the ballet for Christmas last year (Musichetta believed him to be joking, however she knew that Monsieur Enjolras was not the type of man to play practical jokes on people.)

"Oh, she sounds lovely," Eponine wasn't sure what to say without making the feel of the situation one of awkwardness. "I can't wait to meet her." She smiled, Monsieur Enjolras stayed indifferent.

"I am sure you'll both get along, I shall see you in the dining room in a moment, Mademoiselle." He nodded in greeting before exiting the schoolroom. Eponine wandered through the door on the other side of the room to find a corridor, a room covered in white tiles with the door open at the end of it. She walked down the corridor towards the tiled room.

Once in the doorframe, Eponine noticed a girl calmly pouring soup into 12 bowls. She had wild dark red curly hair, which reminded Eponine of Courfeyrac, the boy with the curly hair that she had met earlier. She had quite a petite frame and wore a red dress with an apron wrapped around her waist. This, she presumed, was Musichetta. Eponine took a timid step into the kitchen. The other girl heard steps and put the soup in the side before turning to face the direction of the noise.

"Hello," Eponine spoke, "I'm Eponine, I'm the new governess," she introduced herself, she wasn't sure whether governess was the correct word but it seemed like the closest job to match the description. A wave of recognition flashed across Musichetta's eyes.

"Ah, yes, Enjolras mentioned you'd be coming," She replied, smoothing out her apron, "I'm Musichetta, the housekeeper and everything else-keeper," Musichetta giggled, before lifting her hand for the other girl to shake. It seemed Eponine would be doing a lot of hand shaking today.

"Would you like a hand taking the food in?" Eponine offered; Musichetta's sigh was answer enough. Eponine grabbed a tray and put four bowls of soup on to it.

"Enjolras will be getting the kids in the dining room, so one of us will have to come back and get the last tray," Musichetta explained, picking up her tray and walking to the door, "come on then!" Eponine walked quickly but carefully towards Musichetta and followed her to the dining room.

"Does Monsieur Enjolras help you take the food in normally, then?" Eponine asked as they reached the room, Musichetta nodded in agreement. Upon entering the dining room, the two young women saw the children sat around the table and Enjolras beginning to sit down in his chair at the head of the table.

"Sorry, Mademoiselles, there was a situation involving a muddy dress and a bruised Bahorel," Courfeyrac apologised on behalf of the rest of the children for their slight lateness to lunch. "You're sat next to Joly, Mademoiselle Eponine," Eponine nodded and walked to one side of the table before placing the bowls in front of the hungry children, she went to walk to the door but Musichetta shook her head and Eponine took this as a signal to stay put and sit down.

Eponine sat in her chair next to Joly, or she would have if it weren't for something spiky preventing her from sitting properly on the chair. Eponine squealed and jumped away from the chair, causing the children to laugh. She looked down towards the bottom of the chair to see a large pinecone resting on the chair. Her squeal had attracted the attention of Monsieur Enjolras.

"An enchanting little ritual, Mademoiselle, something you learnt at the abbey?" He asked, chuckling (something Eponine had decided was out of character for him) with his head tilted slightly in confusion but also suspicion of the children in his care.

"Oh, no," Eponine stuttered out as Musichetta returned to sit next to her, "Just a… rheumatism." Monsieur Enjolras raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she sat down. He nodded for the children to begin eating and each person began to tuck in except Eponine. "Excuse me, Monsieur," He looked up, "but haven't we forgotten to thank the Lord?" The man nodded, and gestured for Eponine to pray on behalf of them.

"For what we are about to eat, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen." Eponine finished, the rest of the children, Monsieur Enjolras and Musichetta repeating an awkward 'Amen.' After a few mouthfuls of soup, the new woman decided to make conversation with the children.

"I'd just like to thank you all, for the precious gift you left in my pocket earlier today," Eponine broke the silence of eating. Enjolras looked up from his soup bowl.

"What gift?" He asked, eyes moving from Eponine to the children, mainly Grantaire.

"Oh," Eponine began dismissively, "François." She refused to divulge any more information on François, certain the children knew what she meant. From the looks of mortification on every child's face other than Grantaire's, she had presumed correctly.

"I suggest you keep François," He paused, "to yourself and let us eat." After the cold comment, he turned his head back down to his soup. Eponine wasn't finished.

"Knowing how nervous I must've been, a stranger in a new place, knowing how important that it was for me to feel accepted, it was so kind of you to make my first moments here so warm and happy and pleasant." Eponine smiled and returned to her soup. Feuilly and Lesgle however, did not return to their lunch and began to cry, causing Gavroche to join in.

"Feuilly, Lesgle, Gavroche," Monsieur Enjolras addressed them, "what is the matter?" The three youngest children wiped their tears and picked up their spoons.

"Nothing." They replied morosely in unison.

"Mademoiselle," Enjolras' attention transferred from the youngest children in his care to the new governess figure sat at the opposite end of the table to him, "is it to be at every meal or merely luncheon that you intend on leading us through this rare and wonderful new world of indigestion?"

"They're all right, Monsieur, they're just happy." Eponine gave him a small grin before lifting a spoonful of soup to her mouth. At this point, all of the children – including Grantaire – began to cry into their soup.

The ringing of the doorbell of the old café interrupted what Eponine had dubbed internally "the crying session." Musichetta got up from her position by the door and went to go and see who was at the door. She returned with a note in hand.

"A message for you, Monsieur." She handed the note to him; he read it rapidly at the table.

"Who delivered the message, Mademoiselle?" Grantaire eagerly asked Musichetta. The woman smiled at the teenager.

"Why, it was that young woman… I forget her name," Musichetta replied, returning to her seat. "Azelma! That was it." Grantaire grinned to himself before turning to Enjolras. The colour slowly left Eponine's face in recognition of the name 'Azelma.'

"Enjolras, may I be excused?" He asked the older man sat to his right.

"I am afraid not right now, Grantaire. You do have a lesson this afternoon, do not forget." Monsieur Enjolras dismissed the teen's request before picking up the roll of bread that sat beside his bowl.

"Children," Enjolras addressed the table, "In the morning I shall be going to the outskirts." This statement caused a small-scale riot and cries of 'not again, Enjolras' and 'why?' filled the small dining room.

"How long will you be gone this time, Enjolras?" Gavroche asked from Enjolras' other side.

"I'm not sure, Gav." The Apollo-esque man replied to the youngest of the children.

"Are you visiting Monsieur Pontmercy again?" One of the children, Jehan, asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am, Jehan," The older man replied, a serious facial expression gracing his sharp features.

"How come we never get to see Monsieur Pontmercy?" Joly asked.

"Why would he want to see you?" Bahorel replied, jabbing the small girl in the side.

" _Actually_ ," Enjolras intervened before Bahorel began punching, "you shall be seeing Monsieur Pontmercy as I am bringing him back with me to visit," The reaction of the children was mixed. Some cheered, some groaned. "And Mademoiselle Cosette." This got the children excited.

"Cosette?" The children exclaimed in a mixture of excitement and disbelief. Musichetta and Eponine chose this moment to walk around the tables and pick up the children's bowls.

The rest of the day until dinner went by smoothly. Enjolras had asked Eponine to sit in on the children's afternoon lessons to get an idea of what she needed to do whilst he was away. Dinner passed by uneventfully as well, Eponine and Enjolras assisted Musichetta in the serving of the food and they all ate together. Grantaire decided to ask Enjolras if he could be excused early once again. This time, Enjolras allowed it and the young man ran excitedly out of the room.

"All right, children, off to bed." Eponine watched as Monsieur Enjolras usher the children up the stairs to their allocated rooms. "Mademoiselle Eponine, could you possibly assist me in putting the children to bed?"

"Hm? Oh, yes! Of course, Monsieur," Eponine snapped out of a trance she hadn't realised she'd been in. She followed the children up the stairs, checking on each of them as a storm had been brewing during dinner and was now in full swing. Eponine's room was at the end of a long corridor, the room across from it belonging to Monsieur Enjolras. Musichetta did not have a room at the old café Musain: she chose to live in an apartment not too far away so she had some space of her own, which she mostly used to practise ballet. As Eponine and Enjolras reached the end of the corridor, he bid her a formal goodnight, which she returned. As she turned to enter her bedroom, a strong hand grasped her wrist.

"Monsieur?"

"Enjolras. Please only call me Enjolras." He stated.

"All right, but please call me Eponine, but perhaps in front of the children we should remain Mademoiselle and Monsieur to each other," she suggested in return, "so as to not undermine authority."

"All right," He paused, "Eponine. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Enjolras." She turned and entered her room. Once inside, she began to get ready for bed, she changed into her nightclothes and tied her hair out from her face. Once she decided she was ready to sleep, she began to pray.

"Dear Father, now I know why you sent me here: to prepare the children for a permanent mother figure in their lives. I pray that this will become a happy family in thy sight. God bless Enjolras. God bless Grantaire, Combeferre and Courfeyrac. God bless Bahorel, Joly, Feuilly, Lesgle and Gavroche…" She couldn't, for the life of her, remember the other child's name. "Well, God bless what's-his-name. God bless the Reverend Mother and Sister Marie, and everyone at the abbey…" As Eponine was about to finish her prayer, she heard footsteps coming from behind her. Grantaire had snuck back into the café through her window. She wasn't letting him get away that easily. "Now, dear God, about Grantaire. Help him know that I am his friend and help him to tell me what he's been up to." Grantaire interrupted her.

"Are you going to tell Enjolras?" Eponine held her hand up non-verbally telling him to be quiet before pointing upwards.

"Help me to be understanding so that I may guide his footsteps. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen." Eponine crossed her arms and looked at the drenched boy standing in her room.

"I was out walking and somebody locked the doors early. I didn't want to wake everybody, so when I saw your window was open…" his voice drifted as did his train of thought. "You're not going to tell Enjolras, are you?" Eponine walked over to her open window and looked down, and gasped.

"How did you climb up here?" She turned quickly back to look at Grantaire.

"It's how we always got in to play tricks on the governess. Bahorel can make it with a whole jar of spiders in his hand!" Grantaire told her. So, Eponine wasn't the first governess that the children in the orphanage had.

 _"_ _Spiders?"_ Eponine exclaimed in worry. Grantaire nodded. "Were you out all by yourself?" Grantaire nodded once more, to which Eponine raised an eyebrow: he nodded even more. "You know, if we wash that shirt tonight, nobody will notice tomorrow. You can put this on. Take your shirt and soak it in the bathtub. Come back here and sit on the bed and we'll have a chat." Eponine grabbed her dressing gown. Grantaire chuckled a bit but she threw it at him. He caught it and went to go and get changed in Eponine's ensuite. He stopped as he reached the doorway.

"I told you earlier that I don't need a caretaker." He looked down at Eponine's dressing gown. "Well, maybe I do." He then left to get changed. Eponine walked towards her bed quickly and pulled the covers back, checking for any spiders or François the Seconds. She paused when she heard the clap of thunder and small footsteps by her door. She opened the door to see Gavroche, Feuilly and Lesgle stood looking up at her.

"Are you scared?" She asked caringly, letting them into her room. The three youngest children nodded. "You're not frightened of a storm, are you? You stay right here with me." She sat on her bed and patted the area next to her for the children to climb up and sit next to her. "Where are the others?"

"They're all asleep! They're not scared!" Gavroche spoke, hugging Eponine tightly as another clap of thunder sounded. She heard the scurrying of more feet running down the corridor.

"Oh, no? Look." Eponine gestured to the door. Joly, Bahorel and Courfeyrac were stood anxiously in the doorframe. "All right. Everyone up on the bed."

"Really?" Joly asked. Eponine chuckled.

"Well, just this once. Come on." The children all clambered up onto Eponine's bed, some hiding under her covers and others merely sitting on top of it. "Now we just have to wait for the others." Eponine crossed her arms.

"You won't see them! They're brave!" Feuilly commented, just before another wave of thunder crashed and Eponine saw the figure of two boys run down the corridor and the door to her bathroom opened. She chuckled.

"Now, boys, you weren't scared of the thunder, were you?" Eponine asked, smiling at the boys.

"Oh no," Combeferre answered, "We just wanted to be sure that you weren't."

"That's very kind of you." Eponine commented, chuckling.

"It wasn't my idea. It was Jehan's!"

"Jehan! That was who I left out! God bless Jehan!" Eponine exclaimed, finally remembering Jehan's name.

"Why does it do that?" Jehan asked, climbing onto the bed with the rest of the children whilst Combeferre and Grantaire just knelt beside the bed, looking up at Eponine.

"Well, the lightning asks a question and the thunder answers." Eponine replied, trying to make thunder and lightning more like a story.

"Why does thunder always get so angry?" Courfeyrac asked; confused as to why thunder sounds so violent.

"It makes me want to cry!" Joly protested.

"Well, whenever I'm feeling unhappy, I just try to think of nice things." Eponine suggested to the sad children.

"What kind of things?" asked Feuilly, shuffling even closer to Eponine.

"Daffodils." Eponine answered immediately. "Green meadows. Skies full of stars."

The children then carried on this list of nice things, each of them sharing what they most loved in the world. For Gavroche: friendship, for Lesgle: kitten's whiskers, for Feuilly: paper fans, for Joly: clean sheets, for Jehan: poetry, for Bahorel: hot soup, for Courfeyrac: velvet scarves, for Combeferre: a good book and for Grantaire: coffee. Eponine couldn't help but laugh with the children and the joy they shared when talking about the things that they loved and enjoyed. She decided that looking after these children wouldn't be difficult at all. She laughed along with them and hugged them like they were her own. It was mid laugh that Monsieur Enjolras was stood in the doorframe, arms crossed and a face much like the thunder she had been comforting the children from.

"Mademoiselle, did I not tell you that bedtime is to be strictly observed?" His strong, commanding voice was louder and more dominant than that of the children in his care.

"You did, monsieur." Eponine stepped out of her bed and away from the children and towards the door.

"Do you, or do you not, have difficulty remembering such simple instructions?" He asked, taking the final step forwards to look authoritatively down at the young woman.

"Only during thunderstorms." She retorted, with an eyebrow raised, not for a moment allowing him to condemn her comforting of the children. He turned to face Grantaire.

"Grantaire, I don't recall seeing you anywhere after dinner." He stated.

"Well, you see…" Grantaire fumbled over his words, looking to Eponine desperately for help.

"What he means to say is that we have been getting to know each other better tonight. But, it is too late to go into that. You heard Monsieur Enjolras, go back to bed." The children smiled solemnly at Eponine as they filed out of their room, each nodding at Enjolras politely as they left.

"Mademoi- Eponine." Enjolras addressed her once all the children had left. "You have managed to remember that I am leaving in the morning?" Eponine nodded. "Is it also possible for you to remember that the first rule of this facility is discipline?" Eponine nodded once more. "Then I trust before I return, you'll have acquired some." Eponine's mouth almost unhinged. She managed, however, to keep from doing so.

"Goodnight, Enjolras."

"Goodnight, Eponine."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hello! Thank you for reading my little story so far (I will upload more but I am going away for a week so it'll be a bit of a wait) Feel free to review what I've posted so far (it says at the moment that I have one but I can't see it) But I shall speak to you soon. :)**

 **-Zoe**


	3. Do-Re-Mi

**Chapter 3: Do-Re-Mi**

As planned, Enjolras left early the next morning so he could meet his friends Monsieur Marius Pontmercy and his soon to be wife, Mademoiselle Cosette. In his absence, Eponine took it upon herself to show these children how to have fun outside of Enjolras' rigorous educational programme. It was the second day he had been gone and Eponine enlisted the help of Musichetta, whom she had grown close to over the few days she had been at the orphanage, to help her drag the children out of their beds so she could begin to show them how to have fun.

Ten minutes, Musichetta claimed it was 'a lifetime,' later; the children were all dressed and clean, stood in an exactly straight line in the middle of Enjolras' classroom. Eponine stood in front of them, whilst Musichetta stood behind, subtly trying to sort out the collar of Bahorel's.

"Right, children," Eponine began, addressing them with a smile, "we are going to the local market today so it would mean a lot to me if you would help me." She grinned again, a little more brightly than before she started speaking.

"All right," Courfeyrac spoke on behalf of the group, resulting in groans from some and looks of indifference on others.

"It'll be brilliant fun, I promise," Eponine exclaimed, "last one out the door carries the heavy groceries!" She darted to the door to hold it open and let the children through. Musichetta raced under her arm and told the children stand still outside the old café. Grantaire was the last one out.

"'Chetta, you lead them to the market, I'll make sure that no one gets lost." Eponine smiled to her new friend before patting Grantaire on the back to tell him to start moving. Remarkably, at least to Eponine, Grantaire walked beside her, rather than in front of her.

"You're good, you know," He spoke, breaking the awkward silence that Eponine hadn't noticed was there until it was broken. In (what she later realised was) shock, she flung her head around to face the teenage boy. He was taller than her, but not tall per se, merely that Eponine was quite short.

"I beg your pardon?" Eponine's face in that moment was singlehandedly the best thing Grantaire had seen for months.

"You're good." He stated once more, "As a person, at what you do, you're just…" he paused, "good." Eponine, for the first time in her life, was dumbstruck. She couldn't, no matter how hard she tried, formulate any type of cohesive thought or response to Grantaire's compliment.

"Um," Eponine mentally slapped herself, _good job Eponine_ she thought _this kid definitely thinks you're insane_ , "thank you, Grantaire." She smiled. Then an idea struck her. "Do you know someone by the name of Azelma?" The young man beside her stopped walking.

"Yes," he spoke hesitantly, "why?" As Eponine opened her mouth to explain, they had reached the market and Musichetta called her name as the kids began to run off in many different directions. Eponine put two fingers in her mouth and whistled. The children came running, crashing into each other as they did and ultimately stopping at Eponine's feet.

"Children," she smiled at them, "I am going to buy some food for lunch and we will go and find a meadow in which to picnic." The children gave a small cheer and Eponine began to speak to the owner of the fruit stall, and selecting her apples. She passed them down the line, going from Musichetta, to Grantaire and further down the line until they reached Gavroche, who put them in the paper bag given to him by the stall's assistant. Once all twelve (Gavroche dropped one) apples had reached the bag, the youngest child handed it to the oldest and the group walked to a bakery in which Eponine bought some bread for them to share. Eventually, they made it to a meadow that was near the back of the café; it was only a walk down a path surrounded by beautiful trees away and Eponine couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed it before. The children and the two women strolled merrily down the lane before finally reaching the meadow, which was a haven in the midst of dirty Paris streets. Eponine handed Courfeyrac the picnic blanket she had picked up from the café before they left. He and Combeferre set it on the ground for them. Once they were all seated, Eponine and Musichetta began to give out the bread and apples to the children.

"Can we do this everyday, Mademoiselle Eponine?" Joly asked, leaning back on her elbows and taking a large bite out of her apple.

"Don't you think you'd soon get bored of it?" Eponine asked the young girl in response.

"I suppose so," she answered, returning to her apple and her own musings of the world then suddenly speaking up again, "Every other day?" Musichetta and Eponine chortled with the young girl and Musichetta ruffled her hair and gave her a little hug from the side.

"I haven't had this much fun since Mademoiselle Adrienne's toothbrush!" Bahorel exclaimed, sitting down next to Grantaire and flinging his legs over the teenager's.

"I don't understand how children as nice as you can play such horrible tricks." Eponine wondered aloud.

"How else are we meant to get Enjolras' attention?" Grantaire answered Eponine's internal questions.

"Ah, I see," Eponine was thinking of ways to move the children away from practical jokes, "okay, everyone over here." She beckoned the children across the picnic blanket and got them to surround her.

"What are we going to do?" asked Lesgle, shuffling closer to Eponine on his knees.

"We're going to think of a song we can sing for Monsieur Pontmercy and Mademoiselle Cosette." Eponine replied, sitting down with crossed legs so she was level with the children.

"Enjolras doesn't like them to sing." Musichetta whispered next to her. Eponine almost laughed, she would just have to prove him wrong.

"Perhaps we can change his mind. What songs do you know?" Eponine looked at the children, passion behind her eyes. It was a fire that reminded the children of a very different passion in Enjolras' eyes.

"We don't know any songs!" Combeferre exclaimed, sighing slightly.

"You don't know _any?"_ Eponine exclaimed, looking at Musichetta for confirmation. The other young woman nodded at the governess.

"They don't even know how to sing." Musichetta stated.

"Let's not lose time!" Eponine clapped her hands together. "You must learn."

"But how?" Feuilly asked, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Grantaire, can you grab me that case over there? Just by the picnic basket, yes, that's the one." Grantaire jokingly pretended that the case was heavy causing all of the younger children to cackle hysterically whilst Musichetta and Eponine just laughed to themselves. Grantaire placed the case on Eponine's lap; Eponine opened it and pulled out a ukulele. She tuned it for a little while and began to sing.

" _Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start,"_ Eponine sang, "When you read you begin with…" she paused for one of the children to answer.

"A, B, C!" Gavroche proclaimed, causing Eponine to grin.

" _When you sing you begin with do, re, mi,"_ She continued singing, and waited for the children to repeat after her.

" _Do, re, mi,"_ they repeated, Eponine let out a little giggle – she was teaching them and they were listening!

 _"_ _Do, re, mi,"_ she agreed, _"The first three notes just happen to be do, re, mi. Do re mi fa sol la ti!"_ The children looked at her confused. "Hm, let's see if I can make this any easier." Eponine began playing with chords that matched the note progression.

 _"_ _Doe, a deer, a female deer,_

 _Ray, a drop of golden sun,_

 _Me, a name I call myself,_

 _Far, a long long way to run,_

 _Sew, a needle pulling thread,_

 _La –"_ Eponine paused for a moment, she couldn't think of anything for 'la.'

" _A note to follow sol!"_ That would have to do: the children seemed to like it, " _Tea, a drink with jam and bread, that will bring us back to doe!"_ Eponine finished, the children laughed and clapped. "It's your turn, are you ready?" They nodded so Eponine started the chord sequence again and this time the children sang along with her. They seemed to get the hang of it so Eponine decided to push their understanding further.

"Now children, do, re, mi, fa, sol and so on are only the tools we use to build a song. Once you know all of them, you can change the order around and sing a million different tunes. Like this: _sol, do, la, fa, mi, do, re_ ," she sang, "Okay, your turn." They repeated dutifully, so she continued the melody, " _sol, do, la, ti, do, re, do!"_

"But it doesn't mean anything!" Jehan protested. At this point, the children had all stood up and begun to dance around the meadow. Musichetta quickly packed up the picnic in the musical madness.

"So, we put in words, one for each note: _When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything!"_

"But anything takes up three notes," Combeferre protested, Eponine just laughed and hugged him, after letting him go, Eponine gestured for the children to leave the meadow and walk back to the café. As they were walking back to the café, down the beautiful lane full of trees, a few of the older children (namely Bahorel and Grantaire) began to climb them. Musichetta and Eponine helped some of the younger ones get up there whilst they waited for them beneath the trees to make sure no one got hurt. They barely noticed a car zoom behind them, driven by a blonde man whose normally neat hair was askew. Eventually, Eponine managed to get the children out of the trees and get them back to the old café.

As Eponine burst through the door, she turned back to check on the children and continued walking backwards, she crashed into a gentleman who she had never seen before. He held her shoulders back and smiled at her. Her stomach dropped. This must be Monsieur Pontmercy, she realised in her head. As she looked around the main room of the orphanage, she also realised a young blonde woman stood next to Monsieur Enjolras whose face, one that Eponine had previously compared to that of the gods' work, morphed into one of pure anger.

"Ah, Monsieur! You're home!" Eponine exclaimed, trying to make this whole awkward entrance a better and less awkward situation. She straightened out her skirts and held out her hand to the gentleman in front of her. "You must be Monsieur Pontmercy. I'm Eponine, I'm Monsieur Enjolras' new governess." He shook her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle Eponine, please do call me Marius." Monsieur Pontmercy spoke with a smile.

"And you must be Mademoiselle Cosette! The children have told me all about you," Eponine walked over to the blonde woman beside Enjolras and held out her hand for her to shake. Cosette looked at Enjolras who only raised his eyebrows and Cosette turned back to Eponine and shook her hand with a smile.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Eponine, Enjolras tells me you came from the convent?" Cosette asked.

"Uh, yes, that's correct. I am afraid though, that I need to sort the children out for dinner." Eponine stumbled over her words as she walked back over behind the children, resting her hands on Gavroche and Joly's backs, beginning to lead them up the stairs.

"Wait, Mademoiselle." Eponine heard Enjolras' voice from behind her. She turned around. "The children have not met Monsieur Pontmercy yet." Eponine mentally slapped herself.

"Of course, Monsieur." Eponine had composed herself a bit and led the children back downstairs.

"Children," Enjolras spoke with authority and a collected tone, "this is Monsieur Pontmercy, and you all know Cosette." The children all went and shook hands with Marius before walking back to Eponine who gestured for them to go upstairs, Grantaire stuck around.

"If that's all, Monsieur, I will be -" Enjolras interrupted Eponine.

"Actually, Mademoiselle, I need to have a word with you. Marius, Cosette, Grantaire will show you to your rooms." Grantaire gestured to the corridor behind the staircase.

"Follow me this way," Grantaire spoke in a fake formal voice and lead Marius and Cosette down the corridor.

"Eponine," Enjolras spoke once everyone else left the room, "I want a truthful answer."

"Yes, monsieur." Eponine said, any happiness and joy from her and the children's antics drained from her.

"Is it possible, or could I have just imagined it? Have the children in my care been climbing trees today?" Enjolras held his hands behind his back, stood much like a military captain.

"Yes, monsieur, and having a marvellous time!" Eponine said with defiance, a move she immediately regretted in this on-going game of chess she had with Enjolras.

"They have a schedule." Enjolras stated.

"Forgive me – military programme." Eponine retorted, "They can't be children if all they worry about is whatever Robespierre said when -"

"They don't complain." Enjolras pushed her comment aside.

"They wouldn't dare! They respect you too much and they fea-"

"Don't discuss my children." Enjolras interrupted her and failed to notice his slight slip of the tongue when referring to the children he cared about so much.

"You've got to hear, you're never there -"

"I don't want to hear!"

"I know but you've got to! Grantaire is no longer a child, soon you'll look at him and you won't even recognise him! Courfeyrac wants to be a man but he has no other influence than Grantaire and Combeferre -"

"Don't try and tell me about children I have looked after since they were -"

"Joly could tell you about him, she notices everything! Bahorel acts tough to hide the pain when you ignore him, the way you do all of them, Jehan I don't know about yet and the little ones just want to be loved. Please love them all, Monsieur."

"I don't care to hear any more." Enjolras spoke plainly.

"I am not finished yet, Enjolras!"

"Yes, you are, Enjolras! Eponine." Eponine almost giggled at his second slip of the tongue that evening.

"I will see you at dinner, Monsieur." Eponine went upstairs and got changed for dinner and tuned her ukulele in preparation for the children's presentation for Monsieur Pontmercy and Mademoiselle Cosette.


End file.
